Orpheus~West Chamber Choir's New Director!
Mission: Why We’re Here? We Sing!
Orpheus~West Chamber Choir celebrates the choral tradition by gathering like-minded singers to rehearse and perform a variety of music, ranging from classical choral works to Renaissance through contemporary masterpieces, along with folk arrangements, spirituals and Broadway favorites. Recent programs have included such masterworks as Pergolesi’s MAGNIFICAT, both Gabriel Faure’s and John Rutter’s REQUIEMS, J.S. Bach’s Cantata 140, “Sleepers. Awake,” and Anton Diabelli’s Pastoral Mass in F. Often such masterworks are presented with the original full orchestration. Our concerts are usually “theme-based,” e.g., one year “Christmas in the Alps,” another “A Festival of French Music,” and more.
A Solano area Community Choir rehearsing and performing in the Vacaville area, our musical family draws singers from San Francisco to Sacramento, including friends from Napa, Vallejo, Benicia, Fairfield, Dixon and Davis. We enjoy vigorous musical rehearsal, but blend in humor and planned social moments to make our time a pleasant change from our mid-week workdays and busy schedules. Our singers range from young adults to active seniors, and from avocational “enjoyment singers” to serious trained performers. But the sense of sharing and community is strong among all! Previous choral experience and music reading are definite “pluses.” The choir rehearses once a week for two-plus hours, late August till mid-May.
The North Bay Ringers English Handbell Choir, and its training group, The Bells on the Hill are additional ensembles within the Orpheus program, and ring level 2 to level 5 handbell repertoire on five octaves of Malmark handbells and choir chimes. Both groups rehearse 1.5 hours per week, and perform in most Orpheus concerts, adding some of their own events, and occasionally joining in regional bell festivals. The North Bay Ringers group does require previous ringing experience.
A Solano area Community Choir rehearsing and performing in the Vacaville area, our musical family draws singers from San Francisco to Sacramento, including friends from Napa, Vallejo, Benicia, Fairfield, Dixon and Davis. We enjoy vigorous musical rehearsal, but blend in humor and planned social moments to make our time a pleasant change from our mid-week workdays and busy schedules. Our singers range from young adults to active seniors, and from avocational “enjoyment singers” to serious trained performers. But the sense of sharing and community is strong among all! Previous choral experience and music reading are definite “pluses.” The choir rehearses once a week for two-plus hours, late August till mid-May.
The North Bay Ringers English Handbell Choir, and its training group, The Bells on the Hill are additional ensembles within the Orpheus program, and ring level 2 to level 5 handbell repertoire on five octaves of Malmark handbells and choir chimes. Both groups rehearse 1.5 hours per week, and perform in most Orpheus concerts, adding some of their own events, and occasionally joining in regional bell festivals. The North Bay Ringers group does require previous ringing experience.
The Orpheus~West Chamber Choir Organization
Under the Charter name, the Sylvan Legacy Chamber Choir Association, Orpheus is a 501(c)3 non-profit, founded as a Vacaville cultural arts group. Its first major undertaking, in June of 2006, was a concert tour of Northern Italy, Austria, and Germany. With annual business meetings of the whole group, the choir is guided by a governing board of directors. In 2015 an English Handbell program was added and operates within the purview of the choir.
The current rehearsal schedule for Orpheus groups is as follows:
North Bay Ringers (premiere ensemble) Wednesdays 5:30-7:00pm
The Orpheus Chamber Choir Wednesdays 7:30-9:00pm
Sectional rehearsals and bell workshops as needed/announced
Membership expenses (facility usage, insurances, accompanists, etc) $150.00 semester
Choir Members Music Fees $25.00 semester
The current rehearsal schedule for Orpheus groups is as follows:
North Bay Ringers (premiere ensemble) Wednesdays 5:30-7:00pm
The Orpheus Chamber Choir Wednesdays 7:30-9:00pm
Sectional rehearsals and bell workshops as needed/announced
Membership expenses (facility usage, insurances, accompanists, etc) $150.00 semester
Choir Members Music Fees $25.00 semester
Performance Sites and Venues:
Though recent performance sites have included the Christian Brothers’ Mont LaSalle Chapel in Napa, Castello di Amorosa in Calistoga, the Saturday Club of Vacaville, and several area churches, our two main annual concerts are presented at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 350 Stinson Avenue in Vacaville (Christmas) and The Vacaville Performing Arts Theater, 1010 Ulatis Drive in Vacaville (Spring.) Both sites offer ideal conditions and acoustics for successful choral and instrumental performance. Other performances are presented in Downtown Vacaville for the Holiday MERRIMENT ON MAIN Tree Lighting celebration, and smaller events at the Vacaville Opera House.
Memberships and Affiliations:
The American Choral Directors Association; The Handbell Musicians of America (National and Area XII California-Nevada-Hawaii); The Vacaville Chamber of Commerce; VACA (The Vacaville Arts and Cultural Alliance, under the umbrella of www.visitvacaville.com/ )
Amazon Smile
Have you heard of Amazon Smile? If you order from the online store you can use Amazon Smile to connect your Amazon to a nonprofit organization and we are now part of it! When you order a portion goes towards your nonprofit! View the instructions below to starting using Amazon Smile and choose Sylvan Legacy as your nonprofit.
1) Sign into your Amazon account through smile.amazon.com/
2) Click on the bar on the right that says "Account and Lists" and click on "Your Amazon Smile"
3) Search for our nonprofit Sylvan Legacy Chamber Choir Assn in Vacaville, CA and choose this one.
4) From now on order though smile.amazon.com/
*This service does not work though the Amazon Phone App, this must be done through the computer website.
1) Sign into your Amazon account through smile.amazon.com/
2) Click on the bar on the right that says "Account and Lists" and click on "Your Amazon Smile"
3) Search for our nonprofit Sylvan Legacy Chamber Choir Assn in Vacaville, CA and choose this one.
4) From now on order though smile.amazon.com/
*This service does not work though the Amazon Phone App, this must be done through the computer website.